National Republican., 1887-11-25
Diplomatic Ability Displayed.

So much has been said upon the subject
of the Chinese concessions to Count Mitkei-
wlcz that the following letter OF Tong King
Sing, one of the ablest Chinese statesmen
living, written to Mr.. G. c. Moreno last
spring, will be Of interest to our readers and
show what difficulties had to be contended
with and what overcome to secure the con-
cessions granted to the American syndicate
Of which the eminent banker, Wharton
Barker, is the head.
The writer OF this letter is now over 60
years old, but as vigorous and virile as
most men Of half his years. He has long
been recognized as one Of the ablest and
most progressive OF Chinese statesmen, is a
scholar, man OF the world. He was one
Of the first Of the children Of the "1owery
kingdom" to favor the adoption OF the
methods OF the "outside barbarians,h and
was willing to transplant the modern civil
ization Of the world upon the more ancient
customs Of China. He writes as follows to
Mr. Moreno, who was and Is his personal
friend, and special attention is called to the
paragraph saying that no concessions for
railways would be made to foreigners, show
ing that Count Mitkiewicz must have dis
played great diplomatic ability to have Sc
cured reversal of this determination
TIESTsIN, March 6, lssj-Ny Der Moreno
Your letter, dated Capitol Hill, Washington,
2jth December, lSsj. reached me after onr las
overland courier had started, so WAS com
PEELED to lay it aside till the first sea ner goes.
was very glad to see your handwriting again,
and to find that you still remember your old
and true friend
You would have interested me tue more had
you given me an account Of your eventful life
since we ceased correspondence. For my part
| had been abroad the whole year OF 1883 first
| to Europe and afterward to South America. /
would have extended my journey to the United
| States, where hal lots of friends to see, had
not been SUNNI )ned by cable telegram to re-
| turn to China. On my return to shanghai !
found the French diaiculty still pending, with
| no prospect of coming to Il fair settlement.
| Capitalists had commenced to call In tha.
money, and there was regular panic in the
money market in Shanghai and in the coast
ports. Great fear prevailed for the safety OF
| the Chinese merchants neet. The
steamship company lost its credit, aud the
directors had to mortgage the compauy's CO.
downs to free themselves from immediate en-
| barrassment. You can form no idea what
was transferred to the American firm of Rus
sell n Co.. after which retired from the steam.
ship company, but had to square no all the
| old business, which took me twelve months to
| do. / left Shanghai Just before the season
! closed to come up to take charge OF the Chi.
nese Engineering and Mining Company IN
, China-started, you know, by myself. This
company is doing well. II is capable of turn.
ing out 1000 tons of coal day, but we have
limited the output to 700 tons daily, selling 400
tons to the country people and 800 tons Il
Tientsin to supply the men-of.war and mer-
chant steamers and the arsenals
=Going back to 1885, ! must say have had no
end OF pleasure abroad and especially in your
charming and classic Italy, cradle of great
men and ofgreat things
Now coming back to your letter, | note the
Ill treatment of our countrymen In the United
states-the first independent nation in the
world 1t was only the other day long tele
graph message was received at the Tzung.Li
Yamen ministry of foreign affairs in Peking
complaining ofsome serious riots against the
Chinese in the western states, But what car
China do when She as you say, "is surrounded
with enemies and no true friends" IadeGd.
Iagree with You that she does not know "who
are her enemies and who are her friends" aud
consequently apt ito reward her enemies anJ
mistrust her friends" Besides, JEALOUSY
takes deeper root in China than in any othe
country. Naturally SO when | see every
one is working for himself aud not f1
his own country. Even such AZ
enlightened and great man as-
whose name / need not to mention, nS yot
know II too well-hc hates to see other meI
taking a lead of any enterprise. lie like
foreigners telling him that he is the only MAJ
of progress in China and giving him full credi
for everything great, bold and good done IL
China. lie Is that SOFT OF mau who likes L
iudorse other mems ideas aud claim the ful
credit for himself If they come out in fyinl
colOr-a natural ambition for great man.
You have Travelled all over the vast Chinese
empire and came IN contact with most of the
prominent men Of our, ana with your kcar
observation Of men and Of affairs, You car
Judge If my assertions are correct s.
fear that our country will not be able to make
its headway so long ms such state Of thing
exists, and Jealous and selfish men are at tht
helm.
As you often, years ago, spoke and wrote Il
me about railroads ana telegraph in China
undoubtedly you must have lately heNrC
and read good deal on this sub
iect, but the present government hay,
made up their mind to allow no foreign
eTs to have any interest In the matter or to ad
NIT any foreign capital, and as Chinese mer
chants and capitalists are going away from
them in'tead of coming near them, you are
able TO Judge for yourself whether we will have
railroads and Telegraph soon or not,
see by your letter that you said some sever,